Drown In You
by TheDoctorsCompanion13
Summary: Escaped from Asgard and up to mischief once more, Loki has a plan to infiltrate The Avengers and take them down from the inside, but he gets more than he bargained for.
1. Chapter 1

_There he is_, Loki thought as his blank expression was given life by a smirk that could raise hairs. _It is a beautiful sight when a well-laid plan falls into place._ He stood on a busy sidewalk watching the front doors of Stark Tower, invisible to the mortals surrounding him who felt a strange compulsion to walk around the space he occupied. Just outside the doors stood Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner, and Tony Stark but Loki was only there for one.

Threads of magic, not unlike a spider web, weaved themselves into being in Loki's right hand. The glowing green strings were secured to each fingertip and the base of his palm before lacing into the pattern of a complex spell. He flexed his fingers, the threads moving with him like elastics, before taking his first step forward.

The three Avengers stood in civilian dress, presumably waiting for the other three members of their team, speaking to one another in soft tones. Their words were lost in the crowds of talking and texting people but that didn't matter to Loki. He swiftly crossed the street and weaved down the sidewalk with the grace of flowing water.

He approached the three figures quickly, his target standing on the edge of the sidewalk with his back to the road. Loki stepped off onto the pavement and pressed the hand with the completed spell between Steve's shoulder blades for a moment before continuing down the street and away from the Tower.

* * *

Steve felt the pressure on his back, a gentle touch like a gust of wind, and turned his head to see what caused it. His brow creased when he saw nothing and no one he knew, just the people walking by. He figured someone must've accidentally hit him while moving past.

"What is it, Steve?" Bruce asked, noticing him looking around.

He turned and faced Bruce and Tony. "Uh, nothing. Just thought… nothing."

He smiled at them and they returned to their conversation as if nothing had happened. As far as they were concerned, nothing had. Yet, at that moment, a series of intricately woven lines of magic were seeping through Steve's shirt and into his skin, leaving their mark and working the spell they were created for.

* * *

Loki genuinely smiled as he walked away from Stark Tower. He could feel a song in his heart, an old one from his childhood that his mother used to sing to him. Him and his brother. The corners of his mouth dipped down a little at the thought of Thor but he refused to let him spoil his mood. He whistled the song to himself, the notes being picked up by the wind. An ancient tune wasted on mortal ears that passed it off as nothing more than their imaginations.

As he walked, he began casting the spell again, the magic intertwining itself in his hand. The particular spell he was trying to cast required two people to be marked with the same spell, allowing a connection between the two. His plan relied upon it and he couldn't allow it to fail. Failure wasn't an option he could bear.

Once the spell finished tying itself together, Loki stopped walking for a moment and placed his hand on his chest over his heart. He dropped his hand when he could feel the magic had transferred and looked down at the intricate glowing design. Soon, it started to fade through the leather armor until it reached his flesh, allowing the effects to sink in.

Magic in his system felt like a jolt of energy, a drug that spread new life through his veins. It also happened to leave a taste on his tongue similar to dark, bitter chocolate. The only feeling he loved more was that of a successful plan. Either way, he felt elated in a way he hadn't since before Thor was announced to be king of Asgard.

He continued walking, heading toward his new Midgardian base. He couldn't act until the magic settled into both of their systems so all he could do for about twelve hours was wait. He stopped in his tracks as a mischievous smile graced his face. No point wasting such a good mood doing nothing, he figured. He diverted from his path, thinking of far more interesting ways to while away the hours.

* * *

Steve exhaled in relief when Thor, Natasha, and Clint showed up. He already felt like a complete outsider in most conversations but when Tony and Bruce started to talk about their lab projects, it was as if Steve didn't exist to them. Then again, he still felt like he didn't exist to most of the team. They looked to him as a leader, but not as a friend. All with the exception of one.

"CAPTAIN!" a voice boomed to his left.

Thor approached him and clapped him on the back. Had he been his frail, sickly self, he would've been launched into the side of the Tower but, as he was with the serum, he barely budged at the show of affection. Steve smiled up at the thunder god before returning the gesture.

"Hey, Thor," he replied in a much quieter tone.

"Where do we plan to venture this night, my brothers-and-sister-in-arms?" he asked with a smile on his face, looking around at the faces of his fellow Avengers.

"We're not going to battle, buddy," Tony said, adjusting his yellow-tinted sunglasses. "We're just going a few blocks for something to eat."

"That's just how he talks," Steve said, feeling inclined to defend him. "He was asking where we're going for dinner."

"Oh, you speak Asgardian now?" Tony asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Tony, stop," Bruce warned.

Tony looked to Bruce and shrugged. "Just the local pizza joint. I don't even want to go but Bruce and Pepper insist I have to eat or something."

"You do," Bruce replied, looking at him pointedly.

"Can we just go already!?" Clint interjected.

Their short-lived argument dissolved into a series of grumbles and grunts as they all agreed with Clint. As a group they began walking down the sidewalks, no one bothering to say anything as if they were all concentrating on their walking. Steve noticed how closely Bruce and Tony walked together, how one turned to look at the other when he wasn't paying attention. He saw Clint and Natasha speaking to each other in nearly silent whispers, the two sharing a bond they had with no other. He looked to Thor, a man not completely oblivious but just contented to be. And then he turned to himself. Even in a group of people he was alone, everyone he ever loved having grown old or died.

Steve shook his head. He couldn't bring himself to think about it. The pain it caused was crippling, a weakness he couldn't afford to show in front of his team. He could barely express the hurt he felt when he was alone. Instead, he pushed it down and built up the strength to put on a mask for his team to see.

Once they arrived at the pizza place, the six of them melted into the setting. They became a part of the white tiled floors, the bright florescent lights hanging over each table, the scuff marks, the near emptiness, and settled in like it was home. They all started to enjoy themselves a little and Steve was glad to see it.

They pulled a few tables together and ordered a tower of pizza due to Thor's appetite and Bruce's fast metabolism. Steve didn't feel especially hungry but he took a couple of slices from a box to give the illusion that he was. They sat in front of him on a plate, growing cold as seconds turned to minutes, minutes to an hour.

He watched as the five of them talked and laughed, only speaking when he was prompted to. He used a pen he had tucked into his pocket and drew the scene before him on a napkin, capturing the likeness of each of his teammates even on such a small scale. When they were ready to leave, Steve left the drawing on the table beside his two untouched slices of pizza.

He was a little happier to leave than he was to be there. The thought of being alone on his floor of the Tower, his soft bed, sounded like a dream to him in that moment. The walk back seemed quicker than the walk there, which he was grateful for. Upon arrival at Stark Tower, he, Thor, Clint, and Natasha all piled into the elevator—Tony and Bruce opting to take a different one on the other side of the lobby—and waited until he reached his floor.

Despite the comradery between them in the small restaurant, the elevator was dead silent. The only sound was the elevator itself, dinging as it reached each floor, the doors sliding open smoothly to let each person off. Luckily, Steve was the second one out, happy to detach himself from the enclosed room of discomfort.

As the doors closed behind him, he felt a mix of relief and sadness. On one hand, he didn't have to keep up his façade; on the other, he had no one to distract him from his own thoughts. However, he couldn't bring himself to complain. He knew the hands that life dealt. There was no joy without pain.

It was dark on his floor. All of the lights were off and the night sky offered little assistance. With the help of his improved sight and the lights of the city around him, he was able to navigate the space just fine. He walked through his living area, avoiding a few chairs, and opened the door to his bedroom. He slipped through and closed the door behind him before undressing.

Steve's bedroom was larger than he would ever need. A king sized bed was pushed headboard first beneath the wall almost completely made of windows with a nightstand on one side. A tall, wooden dresser stood in a corner and his old uniform was in another, neatly dressed over a frame that shared his build. He had no reason to ever wear it again but it was one of many memories he kept.

Once he stood in his undershirt and boxers, he walked up to the nightstand and picked up a remote, glancing over the buttons he marked so he knew what each one did. When he pressed the one he was looking for, a curtain moved across the wall behind his bed, blacking out any visible light. He then crawled under his soft, warm, and inviting covers and drifted off within minutes.

* * *

Loki lurched forward, almost brought to his knees by a pain searing his flesh just over his heart. He clutched his chest with one hand and attempted to balance himself with the other. He remained in that position for a few moments with the stillness of a statue until the all-encompassing burning subsided into a dull throb.

He stumbled a few steps back and leaned against one of the many buildings for support. An Asgardian curse slipped from his lips as he wished that particular spell had a different way of telling him it was ready. He looked up at the sky, bearing the bright red of early morning, and smiled. The mark on his skin was humming, vibrating lightly against his heart.

He walked down the sidewalk until he found a deep, dark alleyway. He needed a place to keep himself while he finished the spell so he wouldn't be noticed, despite his invisibility. A few strides in and he was as far as he could go but he decided it would have to be good enough. He sat down, cross-legged, fitting snugly in between two walls with one at his back. Placing his hand over where he knew the mark was, he began to whisper the words he'd memorized.

The more he spoke, the deeper he could feel the mark burning into his chest until it felt like it was cutting into bone. It didn't affect his speech as he continued to whisper the words of the spell levelly and at a steady pace. When the last word was spoken, the pain was so great that he could feel it through every nerve. He opened his mouth to scream but a flash of green light left him instead and, in the next moment, he was being thrown forward at a sickening speed. He passed his surroundings so quickly that they melted together into a shade of dark, muddy brown.

Then, just as suddenly, everything stopped. Loki shot up into a sitting position with a gasp because moving at such a speed sucked the breath from his lungs. He looked around him, noticing his dark setting and quickly realized it wasn't where he was a moment ago. He felt the soft bed beneath his hands and air on his exposed flesh. He glanced down to his arms, bare, with muscles he never had.

He scrambled out from under the covers and landed unsteadily on his feet. He rushed to the first door he could find and pulled it open. The room before him with the couch and chairs wasn't what he was looking for so he abandoned it and moved on to the other door in the room. It opened to a clean, tiled room. One with a shower, a sink, and a mirror.

He felt sure of his plan's success as he stepped in and in front of the mirror. A smirk spread across his face at the sight. But it wasn't his face, not exactly. What stared back at him was a pair of blue eyes under short, messy blonde hair. The face of Steve Rogers.


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh yes," Loki said breathlessly in the deep American tone of Steve's voice. "This couldn't have gone more perfectly."

He examined his new face with his hands, touching his soft hair, his forehead, his strong chin, and jawline. He ran his fingers over the short, scratchy bristles of facial hair beginning to poke through his skin. His new body was something he'd have to get used to. It was proportionally closer to Thor's body than his own, which felt strange, like an ill-fitting suit.

He shook out his limbs and flexed his fingers and toes, getting used to the way they moved and felt. If he wanted to fool the Avengers, he needed to feel comfortable in his new skin. He looked down at his wrinkled bed clothes and wondered if he should dress. Stark's computer program kept him at bay from closely observing Steve's daily routines. He would have to improvise.

He was about to go back and check the dresser when there was a knock at his other door. A small panic fluttered through him until he spotted a pair of pants that had been thrown carelessly on the floor. Loki stepped into them, taking care of the button and zipper, before answering the door.

"Hello?" he said to the man behind the door.

It was a face he recognized immediately. They had spent a bit of time together while this particular Avenger was under his magical influence. Loki tensed a little at the thought he might recognize him until he remembered he was in Steve's body. He just needed to relax.

"Oh, Clint. What is it?"

The archer stood in his doorway dressed in a red t-shirt and a pair of flannel pants. Everything about him looked like he just rolled out of bed. He appeared to be fighting back a yawn before he opened his mouth to speak.

"Well, JARVIS made the mistake of teaching Thor how to make pancakes. He's insisting everyone come downstairs for breakfast," he said, crossing his arms as he leaned against the door frame.

"Er, okay," Loki said. "Just let me finish dressing and I'll be right down."

He stood awkwardly, holding himself in Steve's body the way he thought Steve might. Clint stared at him for a moment too long, making Loki feel uneasy, before turning to leave.

"All right. I'll tell him you're on your way."

Loki contained a sigh of relief as he shut the door and leaned his back against it. Blending in was already proving to be harder than he thought. To look like Steve was one thing, but he hadn't thought out walking and talking like him. He shook his head. He could sort it out quickly, confident that it was only a minor wrinkle in his master plan.

He rummaged through Steve's drawers for a set of fresh clothes and grabbed a pair of dress pants and a button-down shirt. Once clothed, he tucked the shirt in the way he noticed Steve always did. He examined himself in the bathroom mirror until he felt comfortable enough that the Avengers wouldn't notice anything was off.

He tried to get himself in the mindset of Steve as he left his room and stepped into the open elevator. He collected his thoughts and walked out on the main floor mentally prepared to face the whole team at once. However, looking around the lobby, he realized he wasn't sure where to go. So, instead of following his eyes, he followed his ears, hearing the sounds of several people talking at once through double doors to his left.

Loki turned and hesitantly pushed open one of the swinging doors to a massive modern kitchen. There were two large stainless steel refrigerators, two ovens, and more granite counter space than anyone could ever need. There was a bar in the shape of a U in the middle of the room with stools all along the three sides. Occupying several of those seats were Clint, Natasha, Bruce, and Tony.

Clint and Natasha sat side-by-side, talking animatedly about one mission or another. Tony sat on the right side of the bar on his own. His head was buried in his arms on the table, loudly groaning as Bruce, who sat at the back of the bar with the other two, tossed crumpled up napkins at his head. That's when Loki noticed the mess on the far counters beside the stove tops. There was a thick substance decorating the counters in spatters and bowls that held the substance. In front of the stoves stood a muscular form in an apron, holding a flat utensil in one hand and a plate in the other. His brother, Thor.

Every muscle in his body froze at the sight of him. He could've stood there, glued to the spot forever, if Bruce hadn't gotten tired of torturing Tony and turned to see him.

"Steve! Glad to see you've decided to join us."

Loki flinched as everyone turned to look at him. Even Tony bothered to lift his head from his early morning fatigue. He forced himself to smile at his new teammates and hesitantly waved. Thor turned away from the stoves and his face brightened at the sight of him. Loki felt a swarm of past memories catch in his throat.

"Steven!" he said in a joyous tone.

The name shattered his illusion of a different time, allowing him to step into the role of Steve Rogers.

"Come! Sit! Feast!"

Thor gestured to the stools with the utensil in his hand, splattering more of whatever was in the bowls across the kitchen. Loki walked forward stiffly, his shoes clicking against the polished tile, and sat at the back next to Bruce. Thor turned back to what he was doing, shoveling a stack of something onto the plate he held. Loki looked down at his new hands, avoiding eye contact with everyone in the room. They were larger than his, tougher. They were scarred and had clearly seen war in a way his never had. While Loki would partake in battles alongside his brother, he always kept his distance, helping by working his magic.

He was pulled from his thoughts by a plate being dropped on the counter in front of him. Loki looked up, taking in the sight of the tall tower of golden brown discs. At the top of the tower, hovering over the warm, delicious smelling things, was the proud, smiling face of his brother. He turned to see Clint eyeing the food with an amused smile.

"You sure that's enough? I think one or two villages in Africa might go unfed."

"I apologize, bird man," Thor said, sticking a fork into the top few and taking a large bite out of the stack. "I did not realize the rest of you were hungry as well." Thor laughed at his own joke through his food. "I jest, my friends. Eat your fill."

Thor polished off the rest of the pancakes on his fork while Bruce grabbed plates, forks, and syrup for everyone else. Clint filled a plate for himself and one for Natasha, Bruce grabbed a large stack, and Tony snored loudly with his head on the empty plate. For the first time in a long time, Loki felt accepted. He felt welcome and that threw him off. He also felt sad because he knew it was just because he wore a different face. No matter how he felt, though, he couldn't let it get to him. So, he ignored his feelings as he piled a few pancakes on his plate and blended in with the Avengers.

* * *

Steve groaned deeply as consciousness returned to him, causing his whole body to shake. A wave of nausea rolled over him and he would've fallen to the ground if he hadn't already been on it. He rested his hands on the floor beneath him, expecting to feel his soft sheet but instead felt hard, damp gravel digging into his flesh. He lifted his hand and looked at the loose pebbles stuck there.

His eyes adjusted to the darkness of where he was, causing him to realize that he was very far from his bedroom in Stark Tower. Instead, he found himself squeezed into a dark alley, surrounded by wall on three sides. Despite all that, he didn't feel cold. He thought that sitting outside on the New York streets in his underwear would've made him at least a little chilly. Then the image of the hand he just looked at popped up in his mind.

He brought his hand back up into his field of vision and his jaw dropped. It was not his hand. It looked too pale, too unmarred, with fingers too skinny and long. His arm was covered with black leather and a golden vambrace, part of an outfit he knew well. It looked exactly like the armor Loki wore when he last saw him. He moved his hands to his chest where he felt more leather as well as a sturdy chest plate. He touched his boots, his hair, his face. None of it was his. All of it was Loki's.

"Damn it," he hissed, his voice not his own. An English accent rolled off his tongue instead. "Thor and I are going to have a talk about Asgardian security when I get back to the Tower."

Steve struggled to stand, the armor encasing his body feeling heavier than he expected. Loki always moved with such grace, to do that under this weight was impressive. He had to pause halfway to his feet as his head started to throb with the force of a bass drum. He felt like he used to after a hard night of drinking with Bucky.

Eventually, he was completely on his feet, head swimming but still steady. Steve tried to take a step forward, testing out the longer and leaner limbs of his new body, and found that he adapted quickly. The dizzying pain was dissipating and he was able to see and think more clearly. The thought that he was in Loki's body became more of an unsettling problem as his mind defogged.

As he looked down the narrow alley to the light and city street at the end, he realized there was no way he was going to be able to walk in the open without attracting unwanted and hostile attention. He was certain the people of New York wouldn't be too pleased to see the man that terrorized them only a few months ago. He also knew he couldn't spend the rest of his life hiding away in the back of an alley.

He looked up at the sun in the sky and saw that was early morning. He wasn't sure if he could remain in the alley all day either. There were two options that he could conceive, either go up to the rooftops or out to the streets. No matter which he chose, he was sure he'd be spotted but maybe, he thought, that could work to his advantage. Being seen in Loki's body would bring the Avengers to him and then he would have the chance to explain the situation. Unless he could figure out how to use Loki's magic in a few hours, it was his best shot.

"All right," Steve said, feeling resigned. "I guess it's now or never. Let's cause a stir."

He walked forward and stopped just before the exit, hesitating. An unsure feeling swept over him_. It's this or remain in hiding_, Steve told himself, _and I'm not one to hide_. He sucked in a deep breath and stepped out into the light, placing himself in plain sight for the commuting people of the city. He was about to start walking in hopes that would make him easier to stop but he didn't need to. The moment he stepped out, a piercing scream was elicited from a woman across the street.

Steve's hero instinct kicked in at the sound, but as he stole a step toward her, he remembered who he looked like. Soon other people nearby started to notice and they began to scatter, every person who saw him, man, woman, or child, in hysterics. He never understood what people liked about being feared. It wasn't a pleasant feeling. Still, if the commotion didn't alert the Avengers to him, nothing would. All he had to do was wait.

* * *

Everyone still sat around the bar in the kitchen even after all of the food was finished off, mostly from Thor's voracious appetite. Tony was finally sitting up, eyes wide and awake from the three cups of coffee he imbibed, the fourth half empty in his hands. Loki remained quiet, simply watching the five of them interact, looking for weak points he might be able to exploit. No one seemed to find his silence odd or out of character, meaning that Steve never said much either. He was close to grateful for that. The less attention brought to him, the easier his job would be.

They were talking and laughing about Clint's ability to fall asleep anywhere when a loud ring interrupted them. Suddenly, the room grew silent as they all turned to Tony who scrambled for something in his pocket. He pulled out a thin, transparent screen and tapped a button on it, stopping the incessant ringing.

"Director Fury! Nice of you to call and say hello," Tony said cheerfully.

"Now is not the time, Stark," Fury snapped, his voice coming in clear through the device. "I don't know how or if it's true, but Loki has been spotted in New York City. I want you and the rest of the Avengers to check it out."

"Loki?" Thor asked. "That is not possible. He is imprisoned and well-guarded on Asgard. If there had been an escape, my father would have sent word."

"Yeah, I think we'd know if a mass murdering psychopath with magic was walking around nearby," Tony agreed.

"I'm not asking, I'm telling," Fury said sternly. "Go check it out and report back."

Tony opened his mouth to respond once more but Fury hung up before he had the chance. Instead, he made a face at the screen before slipping it back into his pocket.

Loki tried to keep his expression unreadable but inside he was cursing himself for not leaving his body somewhere where Steve couldn't have escaped.

"What do you guys think? Is it legit?" Tony asked, looking around at the rest of the team.

"I still say not. I would know if my brother were free," Thor replied.

_Clearly not_, Loki thought.

"Loki, while crazy, is smart," Bruce said. "I wouldn't put an escape past him at all."

"I agree with Jade Jaws," Clint said, indicating Bruce.

"He's escaped enough places already without much resistance in our dealings with him," Natasha added.

"Steve, what do you think? You're the head honcho around here," Tony said.

At the words, everyone moved to stare at Loki. He shifted in his seat, trying to think of something that Steve might say. He sighed, his thoughts leaving his lips just under his breath. "You fool. You should have stayed put."

"What was that?" Tony asked.

"I said, uh, let's suit up."


	3. Chapter 3

As JARVIS outfitted Tony in his armor, Thor called Mjolnir to him, Bruce became the Hulk, and Clint and Natasha dressed, Loki found his way to Steve's Captain America costume. He stared at the red, white, and blue uniform wondering how he would fit into it while wishing he still had his magic. Magic simplified his life but this was all for the greater good. His personal greater good.

At least it would be if he managed to slip through the current situation. Foolish Steve Rogers, always the hero. But the tables were turned and the hero woke up trapped in the body of a villain. A villain that happened to be notorious for lying. Loki felt confident in his endeavor and once Steve was dealt with, he could begin the slow deterioration of the Avengers.

"Master Tony wishes to know if you are ready," a human voice said with electronic tones just beneath it.

"Not quite," Loki replied as he started to shrug out of his clothes. "Tell him five minutes."

"Right away, Master Rogers."

Loki felt a chill run over his flesh. Rogers. He wasn't sure if he would ever get used to being called by a name other than his own, not that he hadn't stolen personas before. He let the uneasiness slide off him like rain on plastic and pulled on the Captain America outfit over Steve Rogers' body.

He left the other clothes in place of the costume and slipped the shield over his arm. It fit perfectly. He swung his arm around a bit to gain a feel for the new weapon and headed out to the lobby to meet up with the rest of the team.

They had been standing around, saying nothing to one another, waiting for him. As soon as he stepped into the open space before the glass front door, they all turned to stare at him, more than one of them a little irritated at how long he took. Loki resisted the urge to shift or fidget from his discomfort but instead stepped up to the lead.

"What are we waiting around for!?" he asked with as much authority as he could muster. He could feel the dynamic in the room shift within that moment. Each person relinquished their power to him. It was exhilarating. "We mustn't keep Loki waiting."

"If he's even there," Tony said, his voice sounding mechanical through the Iron Man suit.

"It's best to anticipate the worst," Loki said, walking past everyone to the doors. "Let's go find him."

Without question, the rest of them followed him out, congregating on the sidewalk. Loki was about to start walking to their destination when he felt a hand grab the back of his suit. He froze before looking around to see who had a hold on him. Thor stared down at him, his expression unreadable. Loki's heart caught in his throat, pounding like a drum out of fear. He was incredulous. How could he know?

Then Thor brought up his free hand, Mjolnir in its grasp. He started to swing it in a circle, slowly picking up speed until he was able to pick them both up off the ground. Loki looked around him, seeing Tony holding onto Natasha and Clint on the Hulk's back. Relief spread through his veins like a fast-acting medicine. They were all just providing faster transport. His heart slowed to a normal pace and relaxed as Thor grabbed Loki around the torso for a steadier hold. A few seconds later, Thor threw Mjolnir forward and the both of them cut through the air like knives.

The feeling was reminiscent of when his soul was pulled from his body except it lasted longer. He was forced to shut his eyes because the rush of air sucked the moisture from them. He felt relieved when they finally started to slow. He opened his eyes to see Iron Man and Natasha next to them, and Hulk and Clint just below them. All of them were staring at one spot that Loki quickly turned his attention to.

There he stood, looking like an insect from the height Loki was at. To see himself, to see his body moving around without him in it, was a strange experience. There was a lot of power in that body. He knew that all too well. He felt grateful that Steve had no way of accessing it. He was a child holding a deadly weapon without an instruction manual. Mostly harmless.

They gradually dropped from the sky and landed softly on the ground between Iron Man and the Hulk. 'Loki' stared at them with wide, frantic eyes. The real Loki could clearly see Steve in his own face, his expression, his stance. Steve held Loki's body the way he would hold his own, with the rigid and unyielding honor of a great warrior. It reminded him so much of Thor that he instinctively cringed.

"Thank god you're here," Steve said seriously, his features relaxed and welcoming, thinking he was in the company of friends.

Steve looked around at all of the Avengers until his eyes landed on his own body. He froze, Loki could see him run rigid. A smug smile spread across Steve's old face as the two stared at each other and, in that moment, Steve knew.

"YOU BASTARD!"

Steve launched himself at Loki causing Loki's smile to drop as he held up the shield on his arm. Loki braced his body but Steve never hit him. He looked over the shield to see Thor holding Steve, the man he thought was Loki, by the throat. Loki dropped the shield to his side and watched in both horror and awe as his brother stared at Steve with such burning anger.

"You have betrayed me, brother. I swore on my honor you wouldn't escape, that you would not cause chaos. When you return to Asgard, Father will not be lenient."

Loki looked away from Steve to the pavement below him.

Steve appeared to be struggling for air but he managed to choke out a few words. "I'm… not… Loki."

Thor dropped him back on his feet and released his throat, confident he had nowhere to go. "I do not understand."

"I'm not Loki, I'm Steve!" he pleaded.

"Rogers?" Thor asked, turning to look at Loki in Steve's body.

Loki shrugged. "I don't know what he's getting at but I know I don't like it."

"STOP IT!" Steve shouted, lunging at Loki again only to be knocked back a few feet from a light tap by Mjolnir.

"Stand down, Loki," Tony said, holding up the glowing repulsor in his right palm.

Steve regained his balance after skidding back on the pavement. He glanced around him as if he were expecting support but the street was empty. Everyone had cleared out when they'd seen him. Loki smiled, thinking the whole situation would be easier to get out of than he thought.

"What are we gonna do with him, Cap?" Clint asked.

Loki turned toward the archer. His bow-free hand was clenching and unclenching, just itching to grab an arrow and loose it for a kill shot.

"We, er—"

"I am going to return him to Asgard," Thor replied, marching over to him before grabbing Steve at the top of his green cape.

_Not so easy anymore,_ Loki thought. He couldn't allow Thor to bring his body back to Asgard. That would set his whole plan back. The whole point was his freedom.

"No!" Loki said, stepping forward in an attempt to take charge. "We let Asgard have their shot and he escaped. It's our turn to deal with him."

"I couldn't agree more," Tony said.

A high pitched noise blared as Tony's repulsor brightened and fired up. Loki could hear the Hulk growl behind him and felt his muscles tense up instinctively. He shook it off and tried to relax.

"We'll take him back to the mansion. I'm sure Tony and Bruce can devise a way to hold him better than Asgard ever could," Loki said.

Thor had a displeased expression on his face as Steve tried and failed to struggle out of his grip. Loki knew Thor hated the idea but Thor's opinions meant a lot less than the success of his plan. He was outnumbered. The rest of the Avengers agreed with Loki, a fact that almost made him chuckle. Realizing it was a battle he wouldn't win, Thor reluctantly conceded.

"Fine, but when he escapes once more he will belong to Asgard again."

Loki nodded. "If he escapes."

Steve looked up at Thor, pleading with him but Thor refused to even glance at him. Then he turned to Loki. Loki wanted nothing more than to show off what he managed to steal from Steve but forced himself to suppress the urge and remain stoic. He could tell Steve just wanted to punch him as hard as he could but he could barely move an inch with Thor holding onto him.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Steve asked through gritted teeth.

Loki sneered at him. "After what you've done, you don't get much of a say in anything."

"You know damn well I haven't done anything."

"How quickly we forget," Loki said, ending their conversation by turning to Thor. "Would you mind bringing our prisoner along?"

Thor frowned, looking from Loki to Steve and back. He wasn't pleased but he nodded in agreement. He began to drag Steve forward, preparing to grab him securely so he could hold him in flight, but Steve dug his boots into the pavement.

* * *

Steve felt panic jolt through his chest, his heart pounding like he'd just run for miles. He was staring down his friends with their greatest enemy posing as their leader. The self-preservation instinct within in him was beginning to kick in. He stole a few steps away from everyone, causing Thor to tighten his grip. It didn't deter him from continuing backward.

He looked down at the cold, pale hands that didn't belong to him, praying for something to help him. He was locked inside the body of such a powerful being and he couldn't access the power. The fingers of his right hand flexed, grabbing at the air, hoping to pull something from it.

The Avengers and Loki were all preparing to leave but Steve knew if he was taken prisoner, he'd never be able to prove his innocence. So, as Thor pulled on Steve's cape, Steve jerked away, causing the cape to tear from his armor. He stumbled back, his body expecting resistance where there was none, and it took him a moment to process his freedom.

As the world around him stopped for that same moment, he turned behind him to see a street stretching toward his escape. When the Avengers realized what happened, Steve had already started running. Unfortunately, even though he was occupying an Asgardian god, his speed wasn't quite what it was in his usual body. They quickly caught up to him, enclosing him in a circle as they converged on him. Steve spun around so fast, he made himself dizzy as he looked for an escape without avail.

Both Loki and Thor stepped forward to grab hold of him and Steve could feel the panic inside him reaching its apex. He was close to the point of giving up when a flash as bright and painful as searing fire consumed his brain. The agony almost brought him to his knees but he somehow managed to stay standing. He squeezed his eyes shut and clutched his head, begging it to cease when something started to break through the blinding light.

It took less than a moment to become clear to him. The pain dissipated and his panic left with it. What made itself known inside his mind, or maybe Loki's mind, was knowledge. Instead of feeling afraid, he felt confident, standing tall as six extraordinary beings closed in around him. Without moving an inch, a golden glow extended out from Steve right hand. Loki was the first one to stop because he knew exactly what was happening. The others didn't realize until the sharpened, curved point of Loki's scepter materialized into solid form.

"It didn't feel like a fair fight," Steve said, his face carved expressionlessly out of stone. "Now I think we're even."

Like an extra sense, Steve could feel it as Loki pulled back his arm with the shield in preparation to strike. He turned on his heel and lashed out, hitting the scepter against his shield, causing a shower of sparks to fall. All he could feel in that moment was rage. Anger for no one believing him, for having to fight his friends to avoid capture, for every time he was ever wronged. All of those memories started to rise to the surface, fueling his emotions, and he wasn't sure why. He wasn't even sure if all of them were his.

He bared his teeth as he struggled against his own shield, waiting for an opening to strike, when he was knocked to the side by a giant green fist. He left the air in his lungs behind as he skidded across the empty road on his back. Quick to recover, he was back on his feet within a couple of seconds, firing the magic in Loki's scepter like bullets in a gun.

With a poor aim, he hit everything in sight; the buildings, the sky, the ground beneath him. He didn't hit a single Avenger, but that was his intention. Instead, just as he planned, he was able to scatter them. They bolted in different directions to avoid the wild blasts giving Steve some time to track down Loki.

Steve ran down the street after Loki, following the blue blur a couple of meters. The god in the soldier's body stopped as soon as he realized Steve was giving him chase and turned to face him.

"What do you hope to achieve?" Loki asked in a low hiss, standing up to Steve as if he were still in his own, taller body.

"I want my body back," Steve said, finding it disorienting to look into his own face when it's not in a mirror.

For a moment, Steve stared at his face as it changed from angry to pensive, as if actually considering the demand. Loki moved the bright blue eyes he now controlled and gazed into Steve's green ones, his expression unreadable. He watched as Loki's mouth dipped down slightly at the edges and he gripped the scepter in his right hand tighter.

"A reasonable request," Loki said, still managing to look like Loki even through Steve's face, "but I'm going to have to deny it."

Loki swung his arm, aiming for Steve's head with his shield, but Steve ducked and struck out at Loki's gut. Loki avoided his deadly swipe, glancing down at his scepter in somewhat foreign hands before baring his teeth and growling like a feral beast. He pounced at Steve shield first, toppling them both to the dark, cracked pavement. The other members of the Avengers were started to regroup as Steve threw Loki off of him and pushed himself up from his back to his feet.

Loki, who had twisted in the air, recovered more slowly, picking himself up with his back to Steve. Steve used the opening to his advantage, gripped the scepter as tightly as he could, and swung at his own body between the shoulder blades. Loki had started to turn when the curved blade caught him in the back and sliced down, opening up a wound almost the length of his spine. Loki cried out in pain as Steve removed the scepter from his flesh. Dark red blood soaked the blade, dripping from the end like liquid rubies.

As Loki dropped to his knees, Steve looked behind him to see his team, what had once been his team, rushing to Loki's aid. He was in no shape to take down all five of them, he decided. He chose instead to run past Loki, down the barren street, looking for shelter in darkness.

* * *

Loki almost felt numb as the excruciating pain seemed to touch and dull every nerve in his body. He could feel the blood leaking from him as if it were nothing more than water from a tap. Regret started to sink in as he looked up at Steve Rogers running away with his perfectly healthy body. He was on the brink of passing out when he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. Loki turned and Thor's face swam fuzzily into view.

"Worry not," he said, "he will not be free for long."

Loki tried to nod in response but he wasn't positive if his brain was sending out its transmissions properly.

"You did well, brother. You will heal soon."

"Brother…?"

Thor smiled warmly at him and something about it seemed to ease the anger within him. He tried to stay conscious but fell back into someone's arms before his fuzzy vision faded to black.


	4. Chapter 4

Consciousness hit Loki hard. It felt like a blow to his spine that made it difficult to breathe. He gasped for air, filling his lungs bit by bit until he was able to breathe normally once more. Any sort of movement proved to be difficult. Each time he attempted it, shocks of electricity spread out from his back to every part of his body. He gritted his teeth hard when he tried to sit up, feeling like he once did when Thor accidentally shocked him with Mjolnir.

After much struggling, Loki gave up and remained laying down, staring helplessly at the white ceiling. He didn't pray so much as make demands for the ability to at least sit up but those demands were left unanswered and Loki was left bitter. He scowled to himself, wishing he could fall back into the dark unconscious until he was fully healed, when he heard the door to his left creak open.

He turned his head to look and instantly regretted it, especially because he couldn't see the door anyway. He held back his growl of frustration and resigned himself to staring at the ceiling once more. Clunky footsteps reached his ears as they practically stomped toward his bed.

"Steve, have you awakened?" Thor's voice asked.

"For the moment," Loki replied, defeat in his tone.

"You are healing well. Banner has said that you will be completely healed within the next day or two."

"It doesn't feel like it," he groaned, trying to turn his head again so that he could see Thor. He smiled down at him with a beam as bright as the sun. Loki frowned.

"Your powers are repairing you efficiently," Thor replied optimistically. "Banner is a trustworthy man."

"More like a monster," Loki exhaled under his breath.

"Did you speak?"

"No, just exhausted."

"Understandably so. You are a mighty warrior. Your wounds would have felled any other man."

"At this point, I'd just like to be able to sit up," Loki said, grumbling.

Thor laughed. "Soon, my friend. 'Til then, rest."

Loki sighed and nodded before pausing in thought. "Wait a moment before you leave."

"Yes, what is it?"

"At the end of the battle, you called me brother."

Thor looked at Loki curiously, searching his face. "I meant nothing of it. Just that I consider you to be as close to me as a brother."

Loki's brow furrowed, but he nodded again, accepting his answer. Thor smiled and clapped him on the shoulder before turning to leave.

"Rest and be well, Captain."

In the next moment, Thor had slipped through his bedroom door and Loki was alone again. He felt useless in his injured state, unable to move forward with his plan. He huffed, blowing air out of his nose like a raging bull before deciding to pass the rest of his healing time with sleep. He forced his eyes closed and tricked his body into rest so he didn't have to suffer the boring waking hours.

* * *

In a dark corner of the city, huddled away and shaking from something other than the cold, Steve stared down at the blood soaked scepter in his hands. His heart was still pounding against his ribs from the battle even though it had been many hours since then. In all that time, ever since he found himself in Loki's body, he had yet to sleep. The power and adrenaline running through him could keep him going for days.

He could feel the remnants of his rage, the pure hate that caused him to hurt Loki like that. That's what kept him shaking like a brittle leaf in the fall wind. That and the sight of the blood. Proof of the pain he caused. He'd seen it so many times before but it had never been drawn from anger, especially that which had affected him so deeply.

His knuckles were white and aching from holding onto the weapon so tightly for as many hours as he'd been away from battle. It seemed to hold onto him rather than he to it. Steve closed his eyes and shook his head, wishing he didn't have to see it anymore when he felt as if the scepter had slipped from his tightly clasped hands. When he opened his eyes, the scepter was gone, vanished into thin air. Another perk of the magic, he thought.

The scenery around him was unfamiliar. He hadn't looked where he'd gone; he just ran. Once freed from the tesseract-powered weapon, he realized that he was lost in the city. He figured he could find his way back to familiar ground eventually but what would be the point? He no longer had a home.

Loki stole it away from him. He—Steve paused, his hands curled into shaking fists as that rage burned hot within him again. He swallowed hard, choking back his feelings until he could unclench his fingers. In a breath, he exhaled his emotions and relaxed against the building at his back.

He pushed himself to his feet, anger in check, and surveyed the street around him. The sun had fallen below the horizon while he'd been in his stupor and the moon was at its crest. The street itself was not abandoned but it was sparsely decorated with a few passing people. Steve remained hidden well enough in the gap between two buildings but he was exposed to any passersby.

A young couple, holding hands and wrapped up for the cold, were quickly approaching his hiding spot. His heart picked up its pace when he noticed, almost to the point of hurting. Any emotion he seemed to have felt heightened in Loki's body as it shouted at the magic within him to assist its new and inexperienced driver. He could feel the power flare up, rushing throughout his body and across his flesh like cold water.

He shuddered at the feeling as the night air made him colder, seeping through the Asgardian armor. Within a few moments, the water-like feeling dried up, warming him again, just as the unsuspecting couple started to pass by. Steve tried to press himself against the wall, but he was still exposed as the young man turned to look over.

Steve expected him to react, well, in some way, but he didn't react at all. He scanned the area and then looked down at his girlfriend as if he'd seen nothing. Confusion was an old friend at this point as he looked down at his hands. He could see the body he wore, but was it possible no one else could? Steve stepped out of the shadows and into the street, stalking after the couple. He ran out in front of the two, keeping the pace while walking backward as he wildly waved his arms. Neither of them saw him. They kept walking, oblivious to his existence.

He stepped out of their path and leaned back against the nearest wall, trying to wrap his head around Loki's magic. Somehow, he'd made himself invisible. He could go anywhere unseen. As he looked up at the night sky and thought about what exactly he could do with that, Steve realized all he wanted to do was sleep. So, he dragged his feet through the streets, looking for an empty place with a warm bed for the night.

* * *

Unconsciousness stole Loki away quickly and held onto him for a long time, feeding him a dreamless sleep to keep him peaceful. When his own body seemed to softly nudge him out of it, he could practically taste the midday sun on his tongue. The curtains behind him were open, spilling the rays into the room, almost blinding him as he opened his eyes. His hands shot up to cover his eyes in shade before he realized what that movement meant. It slowly dawned on him as he put one hand down on the mattress and pushed himself up into a sitting position. He could finally move and it felt like freedom.

His mostly healed back still groaned in protest a little with each pull of the muscles but it was nothing he couldn't bear. He tossed the covers off of his legs, exposing his body, bare save for a pair of boxers. Staring down at foreign features was still slightly disorienting but he recovered quickly, swinging his legs off of the side of the bed.

He gripped the edge of the mattress with both hands and stretched his back out, feeling the tightness of freshly formed scar tissue. It hurt wonderfully as he rolled his neck, working out all the stiffness he could. Once the pain dulled down, he pushed himself up to stand and walked carefully over to the bathroom to examine the damage to his back.

For such a heavy body, he padded softly to the bathroom door and opened it to the white-tiled room. He didn't need to turn on the light as the light from the bedroom seemed to irradiate the tiles. After stretching out his muscles once more, he stood with his back facing the mirror as he turned to look over his shoulder.

Loki instantly paled at the sight, all the blood rushing from his face as his heart stopped for a moment. He stared at the scar that ran down his back along his spine. The bottom of it started a couple inches above the waistband of his boxers and it ran jaggedly upward until it ended just above his shoulder blades. That wasn't what made him feel so ill.

It was the marking between his shoulder blades, the intricately woven pattern that had once glowed bright green. Instead, it was a dead black, like a tattoo, and was run through the middle with the shiny pink line of a scar, interrupting the design and any magic it once held. All of the spell's power had vanished, the link between his soul and his own body severed. There was no way of switching back.

Loki shook his head and pressed his hands over his eyes. He rubbed them hard until he could see spots in the dark behind his eyelids, as if trying to wipe away the truth from his retinas. He dropped his hands and looked over his shoulder once more, disappointed when he still saw the lifeless mark that trapped him within Steve Rogers.

He swore under his breath, the old language slipping off the tongue as if it had never left. He wanted to say worse, to do worse, but he couldn't. At least he couldn't in any sort of extravagant manner. The whole mess needed to be rectified, he just had to figure out how, and being trapped inside Captain America's body gave him all the time in the world in the worst way possible.

The first course of action would be to somehow get Steve to contact him. Steve had the magic and Loki had the knowledge. If they both cooperated, it could easily be fixed. Yet, his whole plan would be down the drain. He hadn't even begun to upset the Avengers' structure and he would immediately be captured upon switching back. No, he had to plant a seed of chaos before he even thought about leaving Steve's body. He just needed the right moment. The soil, sunlight, and water.


End file.
